Slip-ring elevator



March 24, 1931.

s. L. CAMPBELL 1,797,494

SLIP RING ELEVATOR Filed April 20, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 24, 1931.s. L.. CAMPBELL SLIP RING ELEVATOR Filed April 2o, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Inventar. fe/warf L hw/055% yz/weg.

Patented Mar. 24, 1931 firs: stares -ears ,Frio 1f;

STEWART r.. CAMPBELL, or

BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA,

LOS ANGELES,

y Assienon no, Jorien Gnanrr, .or oALr-ORNIA SLIP-RING ELEVATORApplication filed April 20,

VThis invention relates to pipe and casing elevators, supports such asareV used for handling pipe and casing in deep wells, and of theL wedgeslip type-that is the type of elevator, that utilizes wedge slips forgripping the pipe or casing at any desired point along its length. `Anda general obiect of the invention is the-provision of an elevator orpipe support of the slip type,- simpleand solid ring body, or to use ofan elevator.

Although the specific design here preferably shown is that of `anelevator,A it will be readilygathered, from consideration oftheoperative.characteristics that the invention is useful as a support orspider-without bails, as well as with bails.

One of the characteristic features involved in thel invention resides inthe means provided for operating the slips, and in the in Qterconnection of the slips with movable bail engaging lugs in suchfashion that the slips,

ifnot previously lowered by hand, are automatically lowered not only bythe weight of the pipe coming-directly upon 'the slips, but

also by themovement of bail lugs, (relative to the body) 4under theimposed or body weight, and also that the slips cannot be raised by handor otherwise when the load is on them.l Another characteristio'featurelies in the construction and operation of the manual slipV moving means,whereby both slips are raised or lowered. siinultaneouslyby the rotationof a single. ring member connected to both slips. As specificallyillustrated, Vthis single rotatable ring member is interconnected totheslips through the movable bail lugs. l

-There are several other featuresof the invention, but needing nopreliminary discus'- sion; Aand all will best appear from the folllowingffdetailed-idescription of'apreferred 1929. `Serialll'o. 356,763.

form ofv elevator structure, reference for Kthis purpose 1, Abeing hadpto the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

F l -is a vertical central-.sectionof the elevator' Vwith the slips in Ytheir ,pipergrripping n positions y 2-is a horizontal SeCfQOnonfline,272 of Fig.Y l;

Fig. 3 is aliorizontal sect-ion Online of Fig. l; and y v v Figs. 4 and5 aresections similar respectively tothose'of Figs. lA ,andI 2, but-showingjthe parts .in their yopen or released Vvpositions.

ln the drawings, the Vbody l0 isshown preferablyy as a solid body,completely encompass'- ing the slips 1l. lThe slips vare shownl as`preferably two in numberan'd the body is shown as beii'ig generallyrectangular inplan so as to Vprovide fiat or planeQwedg'e faces l2 onthe body against which the corresponding outer or back wedgeV faces 13vofthe slipsmay ride. The invention is not atall limited to such arectangular and plane faced const-ruo-y tion, nor is it limited to theuse of only two slips; but in a construction using twojslips, therectangular design and plane v4faced wedges give a very good'and solidbacking for the Vslips. Thus each slip is here shown asfhaving a planewedge face 13 onits back,

and a substantially semi-cylindrio toothed u pipe engaging face la onitsfront.

The body l0 is provided with opposite pairs of pivot lugsl5plocatedinear-tlie lower suroarryingthe pivots 8 face of the elevatorand 16, which may be inthe form of heavy-bolts or trunnions.

Preferably these pivot trunnlons 16 may beso lprovided as to be easilyvremovable, as by providing themwith nuts 16a at one end. By removingthese pivot trunnions, the swinging bail lugs 17 may then bemoved topositions where the bails 18 may be removed; the hails being otherwisenon-removable, as will be pointed out. i

`The bail receiving lugs '17. are pivoted at,

ornear their lower ends on vthe pivot trun` i nions ldand extendupwardly from those trunnions, and at their outer parts they have bailengaging hooks 19. {These bail engaging hooksfform `.bailreceivingo-peningsfQO with mouths 21 wide enough to pass the hails into and outof the hooks; but, when the parts are all assembled, it will be notedthat the upper circular faces 22 of the pivot lugs 15 project upwardlyand outwardly far enough to prevent the bails being passed out throughthe mouths 21. Thus, when the upward strain on the bails is relieved andthe bails drop down in the hook openings, they can only drop to such aposition as is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. lat 18a. All theseprovisions thus make for easy. removal, replacement or substitution ofbails, and at the same time render impossible any accidentaldisengagement of a bail.

`With or without thebails, the elevator may be used as a stationary pipesupport or spider, the bail lugs being utilizable at will for bailengagement and pipe hoisting. Considering, however, the device withoutany bails, the bail lugs become swinging members through which', bydirect manual movement, the slips may be raised and lowered; and throughwhich raising and lowering movement may be applied to all slips from themanually rotatable ring 30. s The upper ends of thebail lugs 17 arevprovided with transverse pivot pins 25 each having at one end a head26. To each head 2S, a connecting link` 27 is pivoted on a center pin 28arranged transversely to the axisof pin 25; so that a universal swivelconnection is thus provided between eachA connecting link 27 andtheupper end of the corresponding pivoted bail lug 17. The other ends ofthese connecting links 27 are likewise swivelly or universally connectedwith a rotatable ring 30 mounted on the upper end surface of body 10.This is done by pivoting those ends of the links on transverse pivots 31to swivel pins 32 rotatably mounted in the ring 30.

Ring 30 is conveniently made with upper and lower flanges 33, the lowerflange being cut away in part, as shown at 34, to accommodate the upperends of the bail lugs 17 when they are swung inwardly to the positionsshown in Fig. 1; and the swivel pins 32 are conveniently mounted betweenthe two flanges.

Rotatable ring 30 may be manually revolved by application of a handle(such as is shown at 86 in Figs. 2 and 5) to either of two sockets 37formed in thering 30. Bing 30 is rotationallyguided by having its upperand fully circular flange (see the showing at 33a in dotted lines inFig. 5) engaged four anti-friction rollers 38 which are mounted inVspaced relation at the upper surface of the body on studs 39, and thoseportions of the lower flange which are not cut away may also engagethese rollers 38. The studs 39, in addition to forming pivot pinsfortlie anti-friction rollers, also support the upper plate l() whichserves to hold ring 30 down on the upper end face of the body. Plate 40is provided with a central opening 41 large enough to pass the pipecollars or couplings.

Each of the pivoted bail lugs 17 is also connected with a slip 11 insuch manner that, when the bail lugs are thrown out to the positions ofFig. 4, the slips are raised, and when thrown inward to the positions ofFig. 1 the slips are allowed to lower, or are pushed down if they do notmove down under their own weight. These interconnections may be made invarious manners, but I here show them as involving connecting linkspivoted at their upper ends on the pivot pins 25 and connecting attheirlower ends with horizontal pins 51 in the slips. Vhen the parts are inthe position of Fig. 1, with the bail lugs 17 swung inwardly, it willreadily be seen how the slips 11 are moved downwardly. This downwardmovement is, to a certain extent at least, a forcible downward movementof the slips, such motion being transmitted to the slips from thepivoted bail lugs 17 through the medium of links 50. However, it will benoted that the links 50 preferably include or embody a lost motionarrangement so that, although'the slips may be forced downwardly by theinward swinging of bail lugs 17, the slips still can wedge on downwardlywhen they take the weight of the pipe, without putting a strain, or toogreat a strain, on links 50 and the other connective parts. Such anarrangement for some lost motion may or may not be always necessary, butI show it here as preferable. When the bail lugs 17 swing inwardly tothe position of Fig. 1, they may preferably swing up against stopsurfaces 55 of the body so that, under applied load, these pivoted baillugs become solid and rigid in effect. Ofn the other hand, the lugs 17may take such a position under load that the vertical pull through thebails 18 is substantially in alinement with pivot trunnions 16, or justa little outside such alinement. Thus, if the bail lugs do not moveinwardly against a stop surface 55, the pull of the bails on the lugswill hold the lugs in substantially the position of Fig. 1. Held thus,as last eX- plained, substantially in those upright positions, it maynot be necessary in all instances to provide lost motion in theconnecting links 50, as a slight displacement of the bails from straightline pull through pivots 16 does not involve a strain on links 5() aslarge as the supporting strain on the bail, but substantially similar;but in any case it may be preferahle to. ,provide lost motion in orderto keep all additional or unnecessary strains off the links. Thus thelinks are shown with elongated slots 51a at the pins 51; so Vthat theslips 11 may wedge on down under the weight of the load without puttingtoo great a strain on the connecting links 50 and other parts. Tt willbe understood that the lost motion is such as to make the elevator notonly take care of the iinal forcible downward wedging of the slips underthe load, but also to take care of varyingpipe diameters. For instance,if .the pipe happens to be a little large, then 'the lugs 17 may notquite reach the stop surface 55 when the slips engage the pipe; and thebail lugs will then move in to final position as the slips finally wedgedown. l/Vith'smaller pipe the bail lugs may reach final position as theslips move to pipe engagement; then the lost'motion takes care of theinal wedging movement of the slips.

In applying the elevatorto apipe, it is placed upon a pipe in the usualmanner by passing the elevator over the top of the pipe and, having beenlowered to the position where a grip is desired, application can beeffected in several different manners. Ordinarily the weight of theelevator body, hanging on bails 18 through the medium of pivoted baillug 17, may be sutlicient to cause the bail lugs to throw in toward theposition of Fig. 1, lowering the slips into engagement with the pipe. Asthe elevator moves down, the slips will slide down the pipe but willimmediately grip the pipe when the elevator is moved up slightly. rIhistype of action may be particularly utilized it, before or after havingpassed the elevator over the pipe collar, the rotating ring 30 be thenrotated by hand somewhat from the posit-ion of Fig. 5 toward theposition oit Fig. 2. In the position of Fig. 5, in whichY the slips arefully raised and opened, the connecting links 27 may be substantially inor close to radial alinement with the center of the elevator bore andthe Ycenter ot rotation of ring 30, so that in such a position theselinks 27 virtually lock the bail lugs 17 andthe slips ink their openedand upper positions. By thus locking the parts in their upper openpositions, provision is made that the slips cannot accidentally close onthe pipe until the parts are manually operated to or toward the positionof Fig. 2; but by pre'liminarily moving the parts toward the position ofFig. 2, the elevator may be made automatically to grip the pipe atwhatever point upward movement of the elevator on the pipe is commenced.And,

of course, the slips may be manually applied to the pipe at any point bymanually swinging the ring 30 as lowering the slips to pipe engagement.

To release the elevator from the pipe, it is only necessary to eitherraise the pipe or lower the'elevator suiiiciently to relieve the strainon the slips and then move the slips' upwardly by rotating Ithe. ring 30or by pulling outwardly on one or both of the bail lugs 17. Either ofthese operations will cause both slips to lbe pulled upwardly to theposition of Fig. 4.

I claim: l 1. In a pipe and casing elevator, the combination of a bodyand a wedge slip therein,

a body supporting member movably connectedwith the body, and connectivemeans between said member and the wedge slip where-Vl by movement ofsaid'member causes vertical movement of the wedge slip in the body,.said

connective means embodying alost motionv 2. In a pipe and casingelevator, the combination oiga body and a wedge slip therein, a membermovably connected with the body, and connective means between saidmember and the wedge slip whereby movement of said member causesvertical movement of the wedge slip in the body, said connective meansembodying a lost motion element allowing the wedge slip to movedownwardly independently of movement or" said supporting member.

In a pipe and casing elevator, the combination of a body and a wedgeslip therein, a bail receiving lug pivotally attached to the body toswing in a vertical plane, andl connective means between said lug andthe wedge slip such that the wedge slip is lowered when said lug ispulled to an upright position above its point-of pivotal connection byimposition oii'weight, saidconnective means including a lost motionelement allowing downward movement of the wedge slip independently otmovement of said lug.

el. In a pipe and casing elevator, the combination of a body and a wedgeslip therein, .31

abail receiving lug pivotally attached to the body to swing in avertical plane, and a connective link between said lug and the wedgeslip causing the wedge slip to move vertically when said lug swings toand `from a position extending substantially upward from its point ofpivotal connection to the body, said connecting link including a lostmotion element whereby a wedge slip may move downwardly independently otswinging movement ot said pivoted lug.

.5. In a pipe and casing elevator, the conibinationv of a body and awedge slip vertically movable therein, a body supporting member movablyconnected with the body, a manually movable member mounted on the body,and connective means between the' supporting members and each wedge slipand manually movable member, whereby movement of either member causesvertical movement of the wedge slip.

6. In a pipe and casing elevator, the combination of a body, a pair ofvertically movable wedge slips therein, two opposite body supportingmembers movably connected with the body and connected with the wedgeslips to cause vertical movement of the wedge slips by reason ofmovement of said supporting members relative to the body, and manuallyoperable means mounted on the body and acting to hold said oppositesupporting members in a position to supp-ort the wedge slips.

7. In a pipe and casing elevator, the combinationv of a body and a wedgeslip vertically movable therein, a body supporting member pivotallyattached to the lower part of the body to swing in a vertical plane toand from the body, interconnection between said member and wedge slipcausing raising and lowering ot the wedge slip when the member swings, amanually rotatable ringmounted at the top ot' the body, andinterconnection between the ring and said member to cause said member toswing when the ring is rotated.

8. ln a pipe and casinfY elevator, the combination of a body and a wedgeslip vertically movable therein, a member pivotally attached to thelower part of the body to swing in a vertical plane to and from thebody, interconnection between said member and wedge slip causing raisingand lowering of the wedge slip when the member swings, a manuallyrotatable ring mounted at the top of the body, and interconnectionbetween the ring and said member to cause said member to swing when thering is rotated.

9. In a pipe and casing elevator, the combination of a body and a pairof vertically movable wedge slips therein, a pair of opposed bodysupporting members pivotally attached to the body and interconnectedwith the wedge slips to cause vertical movement ot the wedge slips byreason of swinging movef ment of said members, and manually operablemeans movably mounted on the body and connected with said members toswing them.

10. In a pipe and casing elevator, the combination ot a body and a pairof vertically movable wedge slips therein, a pair of opposed memberspivotally attached to the body and interconnected with the wedge slipsto cause vertical movement ot the wedge slips by reason ot swingingmovement of said members, and manually operable means movably mounted onthe body and connected with said members to swing them.

11. In a pipe and casing. elevator, the comi bination of a body and apair of vertically movable wedge slips therein, a pairl of opposed bodysupporting members movably connected to the body and interconnected withthe wedge slips to cause vertical movement ot the wedge slips by reasonof relative movement ot said members, and manually operable meansmovably mounted on the body and connected with said members to movethem.

12. In a pipe and casing elevator, the combination ot a body and a pairof vertically movable wedge slips therein, a pair of opposed bodysupporting members pivotally attached to the body and interconnectedwith the wedge slips to cause vertical movement of the wedge r slips byreason ot swinging movement of said said members and to lock saidmembers in positions supporting said wedge slips.

14. In a pipe and casing elevator, the combination of a body and a pairyof vertically movable wedge slips therein, a pair of opposed bodysupporting members pivotally attached to the body and interconnectedwith the wedge slips to cause vertical movement ot' the wedgey slips byreason of swinging movement of said members, and manually operable meansto swing said members, said means embodying a rotatable ring and linksconnect-V ing said members to said ring.

. 15. In a pipe and casing elevator, the combination of a body and apair of vertically movable wedge slips therein, a pair oi' opposed bodysupporting members pivotallyattache-d to the body and interconnectedwith the wedge slips to cause vertical movement o't the wedge slips byreason ot swinging movenient of said members, and manually operablemeans to swing said members and to lock said members in positionssupporting said wedge slips, said means embodying a rotatable ring andlinks connecting said member to said ring.

p 16. In a pipe and casing elevator, the combination'of a body, a pairof vertically movable wedge slips therein, a pair ot opposed bailreceiving lugs pivotally connected with the body and extending upwardlyfrom said pivotal connections and adapted to swing in a vertical planewith reference to the body, link interconnections directly between saidswinging lugs and wedge slips to cause vertical movement ot the wedgeslips by virtue of swinging' movement of said pivoted lugs, said lugshaving bail receiving parts which are pulled to 'a positionsubstantially above the lug pivots when weight is applied to theelevator, and the linkage connection being such that the wedge slips arelowered when said pivot lugs stand in said speciiied position.

17. In a pipe and casing elevator, the combination of a body, a pair ofvertically movable wedge slips therein, a pair of opposed bail receivinglugs pivotally connected with the body and extending upwardly from saidpivotal connections and adapted to swing in av vertical plane withreference to the body, direct interconnections between said swinginglugs and wedge slips to cause vertical movement oit the wedge slips byvirtue of swinging movement of said pivoted lugs, said lugs operablemeans to swing having bail receiving parts which are pulled to aposition substantially above the lug pivots when weight is applied tothe elevator, and the interconnection being such that the wedge slipsare lowered when said pivoted lugs stand in said specified position.

18. In a pipe and casing elevator, the combination of a body, a pair ofverticallylmovable wedge slips therein, a pair of opposed bail receivinglugs pivotally connected with the body and extendingupwardly from saidpivotal connections and adapted to swing in a vertical plane withreference to the body, interconnections between said swinging lugs andwedge slips to cause vertical movement of the wedge slips by virtue ofswinging movement of said pivoted lugs, said lugs having bail receivingparts which are pulled to a position substantially above the lug pivotswhenweight is applied to the elevator, the interconnection being suchthat the wedge slips are lowered when said pivoted lugs stand in saidspecilied position, and manually operable means to swing both saidpivoted lugs about their respective pivots.

19. In a pipe and casing elevator, the combination of a body, a pair ofvertically movable wedge slips therein, a pair of opposed bail receivinglugs pivotally connected with the body and extending upwardly from saidpivotal connections and adapted to swing in a vertical plane withreference to the body, interconnections between said swinging lugs andwedge slips to cause vertical movement of the wedge slips by virtue ofswinging movement of said pivoted lugs, said lugs having bail receivingparts which are pulled to a position substantially above the lug pivotswhen weight is applied to the elevator, the interconnection being suchthat the wedge slips are lowered when said pivoted lugs stand in saidspecified position, and manually both said pivoted lugs about theirrespective pivots, said last mentioned means including a rotatable ringmounted above the body and co-aXial with the slips, and connectionsbetween said ring and said pivotal lugs.

20. In a pipe and casing elevator, the com-` bination of a body, a pairof vertically movable wedge slips therein, a pair of opposed bailreceiving lugs pivotally connected with the body and extending upwardlyfrom said pivotal connections and adapted to swing in a vertical planewith reference to the body, interconnections between said swinging lugsand wedge slips to cause vertical movement of the wedge slips kby virtueof swinging movement of said pivoted lugs, said lugs having bailreceiving parts which are pulled to a position substantially above thelug pivots when weight is applied to the elevator,

the interconnection being such that the wedge slips are lowered whensaid pivoted lugs stand in said specified position, and manuallyoperable means to swing both said pivoted lugs about their respectivepivots, said last mentioned means including a rotatable ring IUI)

